Sheepscot Valley school district officials are faced with the choice of saving jobs and cutting back a $2 million increase in next year's budget, but they heard impassioned arguments against staff cuts during a special workshop in Whitefield on April 25.

The state has shifted more costs to Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 towns, according Finance Committee chairman Jerry Nault, who gave a slide presentation before public comments were aired.

Administrators are trying to keep programs in place, while not transferring significant financial burden onto towns (Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Windsor, Whitefield, Wiscasset and Westport Island).    

This effort has become increasingly difficult, according to Nault. He said that since 2010, education costs to towns have increased by $2.2 million or 25 percent, while state funding has decreased by $1.4 million or 12.7 percent.

Even with cuts to most school sports, a district social worker position and technology staff, the school district faces a budget increase. Some of the contributing factors in the increased costs in the upcoming school year budget are losses in state subsidy and Maine Care funds, as well as increases to salaries and health insurance. There is also concern the state will transfer retirement costs to school districts.

The recommendations from the Finance Committee and administrative team would trim a $28 million budget back by $1,820,805, leaving a total of $26,404,785 for the upcoming school year. That total still represents a 2.48 percent increase over the current year budget ($25.7 million) and a 6.78 percent increase to local taxpayers.

Despite the reduction, several people at the meeting opposed cuts in staffing. Proposed cuts to positions include reducing some art and music instruction, and eliminating the following positions: one central office secretary, three intervention ed techs, one literacy coach, the district social worker, the equivalent of two and one-half time special education teachers and the equivalent of almost four technology integrators (3.9).

Several people opposed eliminating the technology integrator positions (a reduction in the budget of $260,000). Technology integrators work with students and staff to integrate technology (such as laptops, iPads, copiers, computer software) with the education curriculum and with daily operations.

The revamped budget sheet also called for some additions: three computer repair persons (an addition to the budget of $180,000) and a technology lease purchase ($40,000).

“Right now a lot's unsure,” the school district's Technology Director Tom Toner said in response to a question from a board member about the loss of the technology integrators. The board member wanted to make sure students would have access to technology. “It's going to take a lot of thinking to see how it's going to work.”

Toner said the three computer repair persons would provide various roles. One technician would be responsible for taking care of the laptops loaned to students as part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative. Another would facilitate a “Google Apps” program at schools and the third technician would assist with the integration of technology in all school district classrooms.

“I suggest you take away the three computer people from your budget, you take away the new technology lease. Let's keep the tech integrators,” Wiscasset teacher Becky Roper said, eliciting applause from those around her in the audience. She argued this would save $40,000 from the technology lease purchase. Several others at the meeting commented on the important role technology integrators provide to schools.

The proposal to back funding for all middle school and junior varsity athletics also generated comments from the floor, as well as from board members. Wiscasset board member Mary Myers said she thought “pay to play” is a good idea, but argued that children would not excel in academics without access to sports.

Another school district staff member expressed her concern over proposed cuts to special education teaching positions and a social worker. She said board members need to consider the impacts of eliminating these services, as they reduce the available help some students need.

“I believe the administrators, under all the pressure, everybody on the Finance Committee has done a good job trying to save all the things they could save,” Alna resident and former board member Ralph Hilton said. “There isn't anybody in here that doesn't understand what the state's done to us and this is the example of it.” Hilton asked board members if they had tried to negotiate further with bargaining units. He mentioned the $389,000 wage increase in the teachers' contract and a wage increase for support staff.

In response, board chairman Hilary Holm said, “Yes, all three units have been asked to consider that.”

The Finance Committee asked the administrative team to reduce spending to a 5.5 percent increase in costs on local towns, but were unable to reach that goal, according to incoming superintendent Howard Tuttle. Tuttle is acting as a consultant to the district until the beginning of the next school year (July 1), when he officially starts his new role at superintendent of RSU 12 schools.

“Do I think that losing tech integrators in the building is going to be a problem? Absolutely,” Tuttle said. “I can also tell you that there are many districts across the state who have one tech integrator for the entire district.” In the debate over where to make cuts, Tuttle said this particular cut kept classroom sizes down.

Other board members expressed their concern about the choices that have to be made. They are weighing the elimination of a certain amount of staff positions and cutting back on other spending against the needs of the district.

Board members will continue to consider these cuts in the budget and the feedback they have received. Finance Committee member Richard DeVries asked board members to prioritize the items on the list of proposed cuts.

Westport Island board member Sandra Crehore said she would like more information before they make any decisions. “I'd like to say, 'put everything back in,” she said. “But … I know there's a perception that Westport Island is rich and it is not. We have a lot of shorefront that makes us a rich community with the state, but not the people that are living there. I've got to be able to justify to the people who are living on fixed incomes that this isn't going to put them further and further behind.”

Anyone wishing to further submit their comments on the upcoming school budget can do so by contacting Holm (hilaryholmgrown@aol.com) or Nault (jnault@svrsu.org). Residents can also speak with their representative board members about budget concerns.

The Sheepscot Valley RSU 12 Board of Directors will consider all of the feedback and recommendations over the coming days and weeks. They will adopt a budget for fiscal year 2014 during their next meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. on May 9 at the Windsor Elementary School. Residents will be able to vote up or down on specific budget items during a district wide vote in June.